Alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age — United States, 2011–2013

Abstract

Excessive alcohol use is risk factor for a wide range of health and social problems including liver cirrhosis, certain cancers, depression, motor vehicle crashes, and violence. Alcohol use during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) and other adverse birth outcomes . Community studies estimate that as many as 2% to 5% of first grade students in the United States might have an FASD, which include physical, behavioral, or learning impairments. In 2005, the Surgeon General reissued an advisory urging women who are or might be pregnant to abstain from alcohol consumption to eliminate the risk for FASDs or other negative birth outcomes. To estimate current prevalences of any alcohol use and binge drinking (consuming four or more drinks on an occasion) among pregnant and nonpregnant women aged 18-44 years in the United States, CDC analyzed 2011-2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. Among pregnant women, the prevalences of any alcohol use and binge drinking in the past 30 days were 10.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Among nonpregnant women, the prevalences of any alcohol use and binge drinking in the past 30 days were 53.6% and 18.2%, respectively. Among binge drinkers, pregnant women reported a significantly higher frequency of binge drinking than nonpregnant women (4.6 and 3.1 episodes, respectively); the largest amount consumed during binge drinking was also higher among pregnant women than nonpregnant women (7.5 versus 6.0 drinks), although this difference was not statistically significant. Implementation of evidence-based clinical and community-level strategies would be expected to reduce binge drinking among pregnant women and women of childbearing age, and any alcohol consumption among women who are or might be pregnant. Healthcare professionals can support these efforts by implementing alcohol screening and brief interventions in their primary care practices, and informing women that there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption when they are pregnant or might be pregnant.

Substance Use and Preconception Care: A Review of the Literature

“…Smoking, however, clearly has a significantly harmful effect, diminishing female fertility (19,20). Much like male fertility, evidence is not conclusive as to whether alcohol consumption has an impact on female fertility (21,22). There is evidence, however, that excessive alcohol intake in males is associated with testicular atrophy, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and reduced effectiveness of assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures (17,23,24).…”

“…Alcohol exposure during pregnancy can cause maternal morbidity, neonatal birth defects, and developmental disabilities (6,22,27,(32)(33)(34). The most well-known detrimental outcome of alcohol use in pregnancy is fetal alcohol syndrome in the infant (35).…”

The Unifying Effects of Maternal-Placental-Fetal Axis Dysregulation on Neurodevelopment Following Infectious and Toxic In Utero Insults

“…Despite current CDC recommendations to abstain from alcohol use before and during pregnancy (174), approximately 10-15% of women in the US report drinking some alcohol during their pregnancy, with 3-5% confirming heavy drinking throughout all stages of pregnancy (175,176). The impact of PAE is devastating, and is the principle cause of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) (177)(178)(179).…”

Review of Current Neuroimaging Studies of the Effects of Prenatal Drug Exposure: Brain Structure and Function

“…In addition, women of childbearing age have shown an increase in binge drinking, a trend that has decreased in males over time [14,15]. Women who binge drink during pregnancy report, on average, 4.6 binge drinking episodes (nonpregnant women report 3.1 episodes) and the number of drinks consumed, while binge drinking does not differ from nonpregnant drinkers [2]. The Centers for Disease Control reports that medical record analysis shows a rate of 0.3 out of 1000 children ages 7-9 are diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), while in-person assessments find higher rates (6-9 per 1000 children).…”

“…The impact of prenatal drug exposure is challenging to assess due to characteristics of maternal drug use such as polydrug exposure and differences in the purity and legality of drugs. Developmental outcomes associated with prenatal drug exposure will also be affected by the timing, dose, and pattern of drug use during pregnancy, and the varying impact of other environmental factors such as maternal health and nutrition, access to prenatal care, and the home environment [1,2]. For over 40 years, the impact of prenatal drug exposure has been studied in relation to growth, behavior, and cognitive outcomes using both longitudinal and cross-sectional designs, which have provided a depth of understanding.…”